The Choices We Make
by Elemariel01
Summary: Legolas must face the demons of his past and overcome them in order to save his best friend's daughter...and himself.
1. Haunting Nightmares

Disclaimer: I own none of Tolkien's work. I do not claim to. I am not that talented. That's settled then.

Additional Information: Aragorn and Arwen really had a son named Eldarion and several other daughters. However, Eldarion was the oldest, whereas in my story I've made Elemariel the oldest. I just like it like that.

Yet another note: Elemariel is not the main character of this story. It may seem that she is, but she's not. Elemariel is NOT supposed to be me. I just like the name, so I used it in the story. Elemariel and Legolas are NOT in love. They are friends. I can't picture Legolas with some girl, and I don't plan to picture it for one of my stories. Now that all that is squared away, on with the story.

Eldarion woke in a sweat. He had had the dreams again. The same dreams he had every night. He was looking into Galadriel's mirror. He saw every member of his family lying motionless on the stone floor. But tonight another part was added. He saw the family's friends as well. Legolas, Faramir, Eomer, Eowyn, Gimli, Frodo, Sam, Pippin, and Merry. They were all there, lying in the same motionless trance that he had seen his family lying in. They weren't dead. He could see their shallow breathing. But when he tried to wake them, nothing happened. Eldarion slid out of bed and walked to his sister's room. She was still awake working on her book. He crawled into her queen-sized bed. She turned to speak to him.

"Eldarion, why are you still awake?" Elemariel asked him.

"I had those dreams again. But this time they went farther." he told her.

"How so?"

"I saw all of our friends lying in the same trance."

"Look, Eldarion, these dreams don't mean anything. They certainly don't mean that it's going to happen. You've got to understand that dreams are dreams. They're just a bunch of colors trying to make sense."

"I know you're right, but I can't help thinking that they've got to mean something. Most repetitious dreams do, don't they?"

"Yes, they mean that the things that appear in the dreams are related to the thoughts you had before you went to sleep. Eldarion, it's as simple as that."

"Okay, whatever you say. I'll talk to Legolas. He's more help than you."

Eldarion got up to leave.

"Eldarion, wait!" Elemariel said to his retreating back.


	2. The Council

Eldarion did not turn. He knew that the dreams meant something. Elemariel was always so sensible; sometimes her vision was clouded. Actually, she's a lot like her mother, Eldarion thought to himself. He turned down the south hall and walked a few more paces. To his left there was a hunter green door. He knocked and a tall elf opened it.

"Legolas, I need to talk to you."

"Eldarion, what are you doing up this late?" the elf asked.

Why does everybody keep asking me that?!" Eldarion said as he threw his hands up in exasperation.

"I think it's a question that deserves an answer." Legolas stated.

"Alright. I had those dreams again."

"You mean the dreams in which you see your family lying in a motionless trance?"

"Yes. But this time I slept longer after the dreams had begun, and I saw you and the rest of our family's friends in the same condition."

"Did you talk to your sister?"

"How did you know?"

"Because you always talk to her when you have problems."

"Oh, right. Well, she said that dreams were just a bunch of colors trying to make sense, that they didn't mean anything. Then I said that most repetitious dreams mean something, and she said that I just had these dreams because I thought about them before I went to sleep. Then I got mad at her and left to talk to you. I told her that you'd say something that would actually help." Eldarion told the elf.

"Did she tell you that I'd say the same thing?" Legolas asked him.

"No. Are you going to?"

"Yes. She's right, Eldarion. You can ask your mother, your father, and anybody else and you'll get the same answer."

"Fine. I'll just go back up to my room."

Eldarion yanked the door open and stalked out of the room. Eldarion ran up the stairs to his room. He sat on his bed fuming for a few minutes. Then he realized that he heard voices in the council room. He left his room to get a little bit closer to them. They sounded as though they belonged to his father, his mother, his sister, Gandalf, Boromir, Gimli, and Legolas. Legolas must have taken the short cut, he thought to himself. He found it very annoying that elves could move around from place to place in a house that wasn't theirs faster then the house's residents could. He put his ear to the wall and listened.

"Gimli, stop breathing so loudly. You'll attract unwanted attention." He heard Legolas mock Gimli. He heard his sister laugh.

Eldarion knew Gimli must have made a face at Elemariel and Legolas because he heard a slap and then a loud "Ow!". Then he heard his mother's voice saying, "Be quiet Master Dwarf, you'll wake Eldarion up." Eldarion rolled his eyes.

"We have to send our armies to Isengard." Eldarion heard Gimli continue. "The sooner we get there, the sooner we can put a stop to all this and continue with our pathetic lives."

"This devilry comes not from Isengard, Gimli," Aragorn's voice said. "But from a country that has been abandoned for years, or so we thought."

Eldarion could have sworn he heard a slight in take of breath from both Legolas and his sister. It was then that he knew where his father was talking about. Elemariel, Legolas, and Aragorn had hunted there for years. This was also where Legolas taught Elemariel how to shoot an arrow from a bow. After all, she was a Numorian elf, and everyone knew that they were not half as talented with bows as the Sindarin elves. Most men and elves feared this place and never set foot inside its borders. Aldoryth.

"You can't be speaking of Aldoryth, my friend, and if you are you are much mistaken." Boromir said to Aragorn. "There is not a single life form, not even the smallest plant that thrives in this place."

"You haven't seen it lately then, have you?" Gandalf asked Boromir. "The probability that Aragorn is correct in his assumption is high."

Eldarion could only imagine how well that went over. Boromir had a tendency to take it the wrong way when somebody corrected him. And yet the room was silent with thought.

"I'll scout the country." Eldarion heard his sister say. Yeah right, he thought to himself, like his mother would let her go alone.

"You know how dangerous it is, and you know we can't risk losing you. Gondor would be a wreck if they knew their royal family was losing some of its members. And what about Eldarion, how do we tell him where you've gone? He'll run off again, after you, since he's always been so determined to prove that he's as much of a warrior as his sister." This time it was Arwen's voice that spoke.

As argument broke out in the room between Elemariel and her mother and father, Eldarion slightly heard the door open and shut. Yet he heard no footsteps. He thought about leaving and making for his room, but his interest in the conversation held him to the spot.

"You shouldn't be listening to this." Eldarion jumped as he heard a voice in his ear. He whirled around and saw Legolas kneeling next to him.

"Will they let her go?" Eldarion asked. He knew that Legolas knew what he was talking about.

"Your father will, but not your mother. It's a shame, we could use a scout out there."

"Let me go."

"Eldarion, you can't. You're the heir to this throne, what if something happens to you? You've barely been trained as a warrior."

"I know that, but in this family it's always seemed to come naturally. You've got to let me do this Legolas. Please, let me prove that I'm ready to be looked on as a man, not a boy."

"You are a boy, Eldarion."

"I'll go whether you allow me to or not. I'm going to help this cause, and I'm going to make a name for myself."

"You don't even have a sword."

"I'll borrow Elemariel's sword."

"Elemariel's sword? She'll shoot you dead if she ever saw you holding it, much less if you stole it for your own personal use."

"Look, just let your sister handle it. I'll go with her if I have to, if it will make her mother see that she can take care of herself. I'll just be along for the ride."

"Eldarion? What are you doing here? You should be in bed." Elemariel had just appeared in the hallway where they sat.

"Just guess what he's out here for. I'm sure you'll come up with it on the first or second try." Legolas said.

Realization dawned on Elemariel's face.

"You were listening? Eldarion, that was a secret council, you can't listen when you've not been summoned."

"Save your speech, sister dearest. I've already been caught. Why don't you go lecture somebody else? Like Gimli, I hear he's got a lot wrong in his head."

Elemariel opened her mouth to speak, and it looked as if she was going to say something sarcastic. However Legolas grabbed her wrist and dragged her back to the council room.

"Goodnight Eldarion." Legolas said as he turned and walked away.


	3. Finding The Trail

Itarilde woke to the rough shaking of her younger brother.

"Itari? Itari, wake up." Eldarion whispered, using his sister's nickname.

"What?" Itarilde groaned. "Eldarion, I'm trying to sleep."

"Look, there's this council being held here, and there's something evil going on in Aldoryth, and Elemariel's offered to go scout the place, and Legolas has offered to go with her, and I really want to go in her place and..."

Itarilde interrupted him before he could finish. "Eldarion, your sister has trained to be treated as a warrior all her life. You haven't. Your time isn't now. You're only eleven."

"At Helm's Deep boys as young as seven were asked to fight. I'm four years older then they are."

"Eldarion, the people of Rohan at Helm's Deep were desperate. They needed soldiers. The Uruk-Hai outnumbered them ten thousand strong to three hundred. Don't you understand this?"

"I understand it. I just feel like I'm ready."

"I know you do. But your time will come, and when it does, you will be ready. But now is not your time. You know this."

"You sound more and more like Elemariel every day." Eldarion laughed as Itarilde swung her pillow at his face. She rolled her eyes.

"Go to bed, Eldarion. You shouldn't be up at this hour."

"I know, I know. I've already gotten that from Legolas and Elemariel, why not from you too?" He jumped off her bed and walked down the hallway to his room.

Elemariel had finally convinced her mother to let her go to Aldoryth with Legolas. Finally. She had packed her small parcel and was ready to leave. She reached the door and hugged Itarilde and Eldarion, who tried purposefully to break her in two. She couldn't help smiling at his persistence. She and Legolas said goodbye to Aragorn and Arwen, and then left Gondor by horse. They reached Aldoryth within a quiet and uneventful two days time.

Elemariel and Legolas searched the outskirts for signs of orcs first, hoping to find something to prove that they were on the right track. Then Legolas noticed a piece of fabric caught on a tree about five feet off. He walked over to it, and pulled it loose. It was quite obviously a piece of an orkish warrior's uniform. And there was no mold or rot on it whatsoever. It had been lost here three days ago at the most.

"El, come look at this." Legolas called to his companion.

"What is it?" Elemariel asked as she made her way toward him.

"It's a piece of an orkish banner. No rot or decay. They weren't here more then a little while ago." Legolas told her.

"You're right. Come to think of it you always are." Elemariel laughed.

"We've got them. Let's go."


	4. Knock Out

Elemariel and Legolas walked softly through the brush, following that trail that Legolas had picked up.

"Just out of curiosity, do you have a plan?" Elemariel asked Legolas.

"Do I ever? I'm just making this up as I go along. I need to see what we're up against before I can work out the finer details."

"I'll trust you."

Legolas forced a smile at this. But on the inside he was cowering. He knew that a long time ago somebody had placed their trust in him, and he had failed. He didn't want to let this happen again, especially not with Elemariel's life at stake.

"Legolas?"

"Sorry. I was just thinking over what my plan should be."

It was at that moment that Elemariel screamed and drew her sword as many orcs, probably counting somewhere in the hundreds, streamed out around them, seeming to come from thin air. Legolas fired arrow after arrow at the swarm, but it was fruitless. He was outnumbered, and greatly. He could no longer hear the clash of Elemariel's sword, and this worried him. But he paused to think for a second too long. Three orcs came from behind and overpowered him, slamming his head into the ground, which knocked him unconscious.


	5. King Elmindor

Legolas came to in a dark dungeon like room. He blinked once or twice and allowed his elvish eyes to pierce the darkness. Elemariel. This thought suddenly hit him. She wasn't here, at least, not in this room. He tried to turn around, but flinched as the chains holding him pinched his skin. Where was he? How long had he been unconscious? He didn't know the answer. Suddenly the door opened, and a tall man clad in all black walked in. On his head was a small band of gold.

"I should have known." Legolas whispered to himself in his native tongue.

King Elmindor of Aldoryth. One of the most feared names in the history of Middle Earth, along with names like Melkor, Sauron, and Saruman.

"Ah yes, Prince Legolas. I remember you quite well. Thought you defeated me didn't you? I must admit, your attempts almost did me in, but you must learn that I am a far stronger figure then you are." Elmindor strung his words together in a manner that made him sound like a snake.

"I won't play your mind games, and I won't allow you to get a response out of me."

"Hmm, smarter then you were last time I met you then. But that's okay, if my words can't get a response out of you, I'll have to take to actions. Now if I'm not much mistaken, you're very good friends with the princess we captured along with you, is that correct?"

"What have you done with her?" Legolas asked, almost not wanting to know the answer. But he had to know. The chances that Elmindor had done something he was proud of and needed to brag about were great, and the more he bragged, the more Legolas found out.

"Oh, don't worry about her. She cracked like an egg, told us everything about what you're doing here. Of course, I did have to resort slightly to my "tools", but it didn't take long."

Legolas' fists clenched and unclenched, as he tried to pierce Elmindor's voice to figure out if he was lying or not.

"Where did you take her?" Legolas asked, trying to keep the waver of worry out of his voice and the fear out of his eyes. If anything happened to her on his account, he would never be able to live with himself. Not again. It couldn't happen again.

"You don't believe me do you? Well, you might as well see the sorry sight for yourself. Guards!" Elmindor said, obviously having to contain his glee.

Two of Elmindor's guards came in, with Elemariel in between them. There was blood all over her traveling dress, and her hair was matted with it, but she had a determined, set look on her face, and Legolas couldn't detect a single glimpse of pain or fear in her eyes.

"El, are you okay?" Legolas asked her in Elvish. The less Elmindor knew of their conversations, the better off they were. But Legolas was surprised when Elmindor did nothing to stop their conversation; he just stood listening, as if he was trying to understand their words.

"I'm okay. They tried to beat the truth out of me, but I swear I didn't tell them anything. I would never betray Gondor like that." Elemariel paused before whispering in a nearly inaudible voice, "I would never betray Ada like that. I would never betray you like that. Not after all you've done"

Legolas barely caught these last words, but he did hear them.

"I swear to you, I will get you out of here, as soon as our opportunity comes." Legolas told her, still in Elvish.

"Enough talking!" Elmindor yelled, obviously unable to stand the beautiful language that was reaching his ears. He walked around behind Elemariel and threw her to the ground on her back. Legolas braced himself against his bonds. Elmindor drew his sword and placed the blade against Elemariel's heart.

"Now Legolas, you cost me my kingdom, it's time for you to watch as something you cherish is taken away from you." Elmindor's voice was dripping with hatred.

"No!" Legolas yelled. "Take me instead of her, she's not the one you hate."

"Hmm, no, I think I'd rather take her life and watch you suffer. I think I like that much better." Elmindor pressed his blade into Elemariel's chest a little harder.

"Please, just leave her out of this!" Legolas hated having to beg his enemies for something, but he had to try to save her.

"No, I really do like this way much better." Elmindor turned back to Elemariel and prepared to strike.

"You fool!" Legolas said loudly. He knew how to touch Elmindor's nerve, and though he was afraid to do it, he would have to. "You would take the lives of mere children, and then what do you have? Nothing! Are you afraid that I might overcome you again? Are you afraid of the possibility that you might try to take my life and I would escape, making a fool of you again?" Legolas knew he was playing with fire, but he had to do it.

Elemariel's eyes widened. She couldn't believe Legolas was doing this for her. Elmindor turned and sheathed his sword. But he also took a twisted leather whip and walked over to Legolas.

"You know not the mess you have just gotten yourself into, dear prince. Now I was going to let you have a breath and let the girl suffer for you, but now the pain will lie on your shoulders." Elmindor whispered to Legolas.

Elemariel climbed slowly to her knees. She looked closely at Legolas' face. There was definitely fear in his eyes, though he did a very good job at hiding it. It twisted her heart to see it.

"Legolas, no." Elemariel pleaded.

"El, it's okay. I'll be okay." Legolas quieted her with his words. He didn't want Elmindor to remember that she was there.

But Elemariel seriously doubted that Legolas would just be okay after Elmindor delivered the first blow. Legolas winced in pain and the whip was one of the most brutal weapons Elmindor could have chosen. He slapped Legolas' back repeatedly with his weapon. One of the guards stepped within Elemariel's view. She could hear Legolas' ragged breaths, but Elmindor wasn't able to do what he was trying to do. Elemariel knew that no matter how hard Legolas was beaten, he would never give his captor the pleasure of seeing pain on his face or hearing him scream.

Finally the lashing sounds ceased, and Elmindor came back into view, stepping where the guard had been.

"You will soon find that I am the king here again, and I will not have my throne overturned again as easily. If you try to cross me, I will do the same to you. How do you like my work?" Elmindor asked her. He then stepped out of her way so she could see Legolas. He looked terrible. His shirt was ripped and blood ran down his back at various areas. She tried to shut out the awful image. Legolas was seemingly knocked out by the force of the beating. She hoped. She looked for some sign that he was alive. When she was certain that he was breathing, she turned back to Elmindor, who took her bound hands and led her over to stand in front of Legolas' beaten form. He tied a chain to her hands, and started to leave.

"I'll be back to see to you and your friend." Elmindor looked pleased with the pained look on her face, and left the dungeon.


	6. Slipping Away

"Legolas? Legolas, please wake up." Elemariel begged the motionless elf. She certainly had no intention of staying and waiting for that monster to come and finish them off, and if they did it would eventually mean their deaths. Her bonds were loose, almost as if they were put in such a way to tempt her to run. It was a worrisome situation. She struggled with the ropes around her wrists for a minute or so, until she was able to get free. She walked around the dungeon, looking for something, some kind of a weapon. Obviously she and Legolas no longer had theirs. Unless... She reached down to her bruised leg and at the ankle she found the knife that she always kept there. She smiled. Thankfully Elmindor didn't search her himself, or he would have found that. She searched her hair for a clip to pick the locks on Legolas' chains. She desperately hoped that Legolas would wake up soon, Valar knew she was no warrior, though she wished she was. Truth was, she had no idea what to do here, but staying still didn't seem to be the obvious choice. She withdrew her hand from her long, blonde, blood matted hair and in it she held a silver hairpiece. She walked over to Legolas and began to work his lock. It took her a few moments, but she finally got it open. She dragged Legolas into a corner and lay him on his stomach. She knew she should go out first without an unconscious form to try to figure out what they were going to do. She quietly left the room and as she tried to figure out which way Elmindor had gone, she wondered what her family was doing right now.


	7. Truth and Determination

Eldarion pushed his sheets off. He had to go to Aldoryth; he didn't care who tried to stop him. He just had this gut feeling that Elemariel was in trouble, and despite how much he might get annoyed with her sometimes, he loved her dearly and didn't know what he would do if he were ever to lose her. He packed his bag, grabbed a spare sword, and started to write a note explaining to Aragorn where he had gone. He hated to leave his family like this, but at least they were safe. He didn't know that this was a terribly wrong assumption to make.

Elemariel crept down the hall after she had visited one of the storage rooms. That was where she planned to take Legolas. There was food and water there, as well as clothes and other supplies, which they desperately needed, seeing as all their bags were taken. She was on her way back to get Legolas now. But as she turned the corner, some unseen figure grabbed her from behind. She drew her knife and attempted to release herself from her attacker's grip.

"Elemariel?"

"Legolas?" She whispered. She lowered her knife. "Well, at least you're awake. I was starting to get worried about you. Follow me, I found a storage room that we can stay in for now."

They made their way back to the room that Elemariel had found, each of the hoping that they would be safe there. At least for now. When they got there Elemariel began to clean Legolas' wounds. As she removed his bloodstained shirt she drew her breath in quickly. There were welts forming and blood running from the open slashes.

"Legolas, I'm so sorry. This is all my fault. If I hadn't been so stupid and so intent on scouting this place, you wouldn't have had to come and chaperone me. I'm so sorry." Elemariel could feel tears forming in her eyes. This was her fault, no matter how you looked at it. She was no warrior, she had seen no harsh winters, and she didn't belong here. She should have just let Boromir or Gimli do it; they wouldn't be in this position right now.

"Elemariel, please don't shed a single tear over this. If you think I haven't seen worse wounds, you obviously haven't heard stories from my father and Lord Elrond. Your father and I were a mess, and still are. We've been in just as deep before. Besides, we'll have one great story to tell when we get back." Legolas comforted her.

"What makes you so sure we'll ever get back?" Elemariel asked.

"El, you have your father's strong blood coursing through your veins. And I've been in situations like this before. We'll get out alright."

Elemariel smiled. As scared as she was, she couldn't help feeling a little bit stronger with Legolas here.

"You're bleeding." Legolas said, interrupting her thoughts.

"It's only a few small cuts." She replied, not wanting to worry him. The truth was that her head was killing her.

"You really are just like your father, always wanting your injuries to be a small thing." Legolas told her. "You know I'll have to look at it sooner or later."

Elemariel nodded, but she wasn't really listening. Elmindor and Legolas had met before, she knew it. Legolas had obviously defeated some evil scheme of his, and Elmindor had lost his throne and all of his power. Why hadn't anyone ever told her about this?

"Legolas, what happened the last time you met Elmindor?" Elemariel asked him. She was feeling brave at the moment, and she desperately wanted to know.

"I guess it's obvious that we've met before, isn't it?" Legolas asked. Elemariel nodded. "Well, you might as well know. You'll find out sooner or later, and I'd rather you heard it from me and got the real version rather then Elmindor's construed version of events. When I was young, when my mother was still alive, I met him. My mother was betrayed by one of my father's closest friends, Astelion. He told her that my father and I were in trouble when we were really helping the butler, Farlin, with supper, especially since Astelion had planted a cherry bomb in the kitchen. He told her that we had been out hunting and that we had gotten lost. Of course, she had no reason not to believe him. So she went with him into the woods, where he attacked her and brought her to Aldoryth. I followed closely behind them, but my father didn't know where either of us had gone, and when he sent out search parties he didn't think to look out that far. Anyway, they took my mother into their castle and when I tried to follow them, they caught me. When my mother and I were in the dungeon, just before they killed her, I swore that I would protect her. But they took me with her and chained me to the wall, where they forced me to watch her die. I did escape, obviously before they could kill me too. I killed Astelion and I thought I had killed Elmindor, but obviously I was wrong. That's my story." Legolas finished.

"Legolas, I'm so sorry. I had no idea." It had never occurred to Elemariel that Legolas didn't have a mother.

"It's okay, I'm over it. That was about a thousand years ago. It's just that I feel like I'm living that same nightmare over again. That's why I can't let anything happen to you. You're my best friend's daughter, and you yourself are my friend. I can't lose another person that I swore to protect."

Elemariel smiled at him. It had never occurred to her that he had monsters in his past too, like any other person.

"Don't worry about protecting me. You said yourself we'll get out of here."

"Yes, that I did." Legolas smiled


	8. Realization

Eldarion neared the borders of Aldoryth. He had ridden hard all night. He reached down and patted his horse.

"Good job Rani, mellon nin." He smiled. He must remember to give his mount an extra scoop of grain when he got home. He nudged Rani forward and took a deep breath. He was about to enter Aldoryth.

"Aragorn!" Arwen's voice carried to the room where Aragorn was sitting, talking to Boromir and Gandalf. Aragorn sighed and got up, walking down the hall to where Arwen's voice was coming from. He sighed when he neared Eldarion's room. What could it possibly be this time? He entered to see Arwen sitting on his bed in a state of shock, reading a piece of paper over and over again.

"Arwen, what is it? What's wrong?" Aragorn asked. He felt a wave of worry come over him.

"Aragorn, Eldarion is gone. He's gone after Elemariel. He says she's in trouble." Arwen answered tearfully.

"Elbereth." Aragorn said under his breath, before turning and striding out of the room. "Boromir! Gandalf! Gimli!" He yelled, attracting the attention of his friends.

"What is it Aragorn?" Gimli asked as he neared the king.

"It's Eldarion. He's gone after Elemariel and Legolas."

"We're going after him then?" Boromir asked.

"Of course we are. Elemariel and Legolas together can handle Aldoryth, but he can't. Get your weapons and come with me." Aragorn told them.

The four friends left a half-hour later, riding as fast as their horses would move. Gandalf rode ahead on Shadowfax, followed by Aragorn and Gimli on Brego. Boromir followed behind on his horse, Samine.

Arwen and Itarilde watched them disappear into a cloud of dust from the castle window. Tears filled Itarilde's eyes, as she knew now that her entire family was in danger. Eldarion's dream was coming true, just differently then he saw it Her entire family was entirely out of each other's reach, as they had been in Eldarion's dream.


	9. An Unlikely Ally

Eldarion found his way to the castle easily enough, all the paths through the woods seemed to lead there. He wondered why there were no orcs patrolling the area. It worried him. He climbed the stairs to the castle and entered. It seemed as if nobody was in here either. He drew his sword and followed some stairs down to what seemed to be the dungeons. If Elemariel and Legolas really had been caught, this is where they would be. He saw a bunch of cells around him, but none of them were filled. He turned a corner and met head on with a few orcs. He gasped in surprise and raised his sword to fight.

Elemariel and Legolas came around a corner and followed a hall. As they neared the end of it, they saw what looked like a small skirmish. There was a small scream and the sound of a body falling to the ground. They drew their weapons and rushed forward to fight, but a hand grabbed them both and pulled them back around the corner. They all fell into a heap and Elemariel and Legolas prepared to strike, but their attacker held his hands up begging them to hear his story.

"Who are you?" Legolas asked venomously.

"A friend. My name is Edarlir of Rohan. Elmindor believes me to be one of his guards, because my father was one. I'm a spy." Edarlir told them.

"I'm sorry if I startled you, but you can't run into a fight like that and give away your position. The one the orcs just captured, was a boy, about eleven. I realize we have to get him out of here, but we can't do it like that." Edarlir finished

"You're right. What would you say if I said it was time for Elmindor to become the hunted and we to become the hunters?" Legolas asked them.

"I'd say let's do it!" Elemariel said, "Especially since I believe that boy was Eldarion."

"I wouldn't be surprised." Legolas sighed. Eldarion could never stay out of hot water.

"Who?" Edarlir asked.

"Eldarion is my kid brother. He was determined to come and help when my dad let Legolas and I come to Aldoryth as scouts and he obviously sneaked out of the castle and got himself in trouble. I'm going to wring his neck once we get out of this."

Legolas laughed, and Edarlir smiled.

"Do you know the way around this place well?" Legolas asked Edarlir.

"Not well, but I can get from here to there."

"Where will they take Eldarion?" Legolas asked him again.

"To one of the former storage rooms. I can take you there." Edarlir offered.

"Will you go back to your fake position once you take us there?" Elemariel asked him.

"No, I'm ready to declare my loyalty to Rohan." Edarlir told her.

"Let's not waste any time." Legolas said.

Legolas and Elemariel followed Edarlir as he led them on a shortcut to the prison room.


	10. Hope Returns

Aragorn followed Gandalf through the woods of Aldoryth. Gandalf seemed to know the way quite well, and it often surprised Aragorn how many places Gandalf had been. They reached the palace quite quickly and, assuming that Eldarion had been captured, Gandalf led them to the dungeons, where they were flanked by at least twenty orcs. They drew their weapons and prepared to fight.

Elemariel and Legolas had recovered their weapons from the room where they were originally taken, and they and Edarlir were poised and ready for the orcs and King Elmindor to enter the room with Eldarion. They didn't have to wait long. Elmindor was beside himself with glee as he and some of his orc "bodyguards" dragged Eldarion into the room.

"I suppose you're here to find your sister and her elvish friend, are you not?"

"What have you done to them? Why are they not here?" Eldarion couldn't keep the fear out of his voice.

"Well, if you must know, they're a little bit too smart for their own good. They escaped from this room and fled to who knows where. But they're in this palace, and it's not too late for me to crush them. And since they were defiant, they're going to get it twice as badly as they were going to before." Elmindor gloated.

"King Elmindor, my lordship." Edarlir said as he stood and stepped into the light. "I've caught your prisoners." He reached down and grabbed Elemariel and Legolas.

"How did you... oh never mind. It doesn't matter. Now I have all three of them." Elmindor couldn't seem to contain himself.

Edarlir chained Elemariel and Legolas to a post. Elemariel stared at him.

"I thought you were on our side." She told him, not able to keep the hurt out of her voice.

"Yes, well, I was trained as an actor. It's my job to fool you." Edarlir grinned wickedly as he went to join Elmindor.

"Well, I think this little boy has a slight attitude problem. Oh well, nothing a good beating won't take care of." Elmindor said evilly as he took the chain and approached Eldarion.

What happened next occurred in a blur of color and a clash of swords. The door flew open and Aragorn, Gandalf, Gimli, and Boromir charged in with their swords drawn. Edarlir flew to Elemariel and Legolas and unlocked their chains. Elemariel, Legolas, and Edarlir drew their swords as well. Elmindor's horde of orcs charged in as if they were summoned to the spot. Swords clashed as a battle broke out. Eldarion screamed as one of the slain orcs flew into him. Several of the orcs retreated, but some stayed to fight. Elmindor flew from the room, and Elemariel followed him. Legolas saw this, and tore after her.

Elemariel and Legolas followed Elmindor all the way out onto one of the balconies. Elmindor turned and smiled evilly.

"Well, the same elf that defeated me is about to be defeated. I must tell you, it took longer then I had hoped for, but I will finally have my vengeance." Elmindor grinned at them.

Elemariel and Legolas weren't going to wait and give Elmindor a chance to get under their skin. They both dove at him. Elmindor grabbed Elemariel by the hair and pulled her away from Legolas. Elemariel tore herself away from him and fell to the other side of the balcony. Legolas and Elmindor had stopped fighting for a minute and both were fixed intensely on her. She backed up to the edge of the balcony, looked down, and looked back at Legolas.

"Legolas, mellon nin," She began in elvish. "Trust me." This was all she said before she stepped off the balcony and fell about fifty feet.


	11. Peace Eternal

Elmindor heard Elemariel hit the ground and couldn't help thinking that this was just too perfect. He turned back to Legolas.

"So what do you plan to do now?" He asked the elf, who also looked shocked at Elemariel's actions. But Legolas recovered from the shock quickly.

"What I should have done years ago." Legolas responded. Aragorn came out the door at this moment and Elmindor turned, distracted. Legolas took this moment to his advantage and slammed his sword down into Elmindor's skull. Elmindor fell, a look of shock forever fixed in his eyes. As he fell he grabbed Aragorn's shoulder for support. Aragorn stared hard into the cold eyes before pulling his shoulder away. Elmindor fell dead, and Legolas dropped his weapon.

"Where's Elemariel?" Aragorn asked his best friend.

"She did something, shall I say, stupid. She jumped from the balcony and killed herself." Legolas choked the words out. It was painful to hear the truth out loud. Aragorn and Legolas looked over the side of the balcony, both wondering why she would have done such a thing.

"Maybe I should become an actress rather then a warrior." A voice said from behind them.

Legolas and Aragorn whirled around, both of them quickly trying to brush the tears away that had been forming in their eyes. Elemariel stood behind them. As Legolas thought about it, her body wasn't on the ground. He hadn't noticed that until now.

"I have two questions. Why and how?" Legolas asked her.

"Well, I figured if I faked suicide it would distract Elmindor, or make him stop to gloat. I also figured that you would recover more quickly from the shock then he would. I looked down before I did it and saw that my horse was five feet away from the landing. I whistled as I was falling and she came underneath me. I landed on her back. Pure and simple." Elemariel smiled.

"I'm having a serious case of déjà vu." Legolas turned to Aragorn. "Wasn't it you who did the exact same thing that one day in Mirkwood?"

"That was me, wasn't it?" Aragorn asked vaguely. He had forgotten all about that. "Actually, now that we're all here again, there's something you should know. Follow me."

Legolas and Elemariel exchanged looks. It didn't sound as if this was good news. As they returned to the room where Eldarion had been chained, they saw a still form lying on the ground. Elemariel drew her breath as she neared the body. It was Edarlir. Legolas and Elemariel dropped to their knees beside him.

"Legolas, I'm glad to see that you're alright." Edarlir greeted him. "Is Elmindor slain?"

"Yes. How are you?" He answered.

"Not good, I fear." Edarlir told him. Elemariel looked down at his stomach area and realized with a pang of horror that his shirt was soaked with blood. Legolas grasped his hand and tried to smile at him.

"You fought bravely, I'm sure. I owe you my thanks. Elemariel and I could have never been successful without you."

Edarlir gasped as a wave of pain washed over him. "Legolas," He began, "My time here is over. Would you be kind enough to tell my family that I died in Rohan's service?"

"Of course I will." Legolas smiled. Edarlir smiled back and closed his eyes. At that moment his spirit left his body. Elemariel took his forgotten sword and placed it in his hand. She stood up, wiping the tears out of her eyes. Edarlir couldn't have been more then eighteen.

"Where's Eldarion? How did he fare?" Elemariel asked suddenly. She had forgotten all about her younger brother.

"Well, as to that matter. He's just fine, but I think actually being caught in the heat of battle came as a bit of a shock to him. He fainted. He's over there in the corner." Boromir told her. Legolas made his way to the corner where the boy laid unconscious. He ruffled his hair and picked him up.

"We must be going. I don't feel much like dwelling in this area too much longer." Legolas told them as he strode out of the room. "Take Edarlir's body. I don't feel right leaving it here in the house of his enemies."

The battered group of friends left Aldoryth together. Aragorn and Legolas rode side by side, as they always did.

"Legolas, Gandalf rode ahead to take Edarlir's body back to his family." Aragorn told the elf. Legolas just nodded and made a small noise of agreement. Aragorn had the distinct feeling that the elf wasn't listening to a word he was saying.

"Legolas! You're not even listening to me. What's wrong?" Aragorn asked.

"Can't a person think without a lot of background noise?" Legolas replied. Aragorn just looked at him, until the elf backed down. Legolas sighed before he began. "I didn't want to kill him. I didn't meditate on that thought ever since he killed my mother. I don't know, I just finally feel like I've avenged my mother. You don't know what it feels like; you barely remember your mother and father. I can remember my mother as if it were just yesterday that I saw her. She was always laughing, and she always had a smile on her face. But at the same time, I feel like I've failed. I should have been able to save her."

"Legolas, you saved my daughter. You should at least be proud of that. Yes, your mother is gone. But these past couple of days you made her very proud. My father once told me when I was young and distressed about something, I don't even remember what, that if the sun shines, somebody in the heavens is unbelievably proud of you. So proud that their entire face is glowing." Aragorn told Legolas as he pointed up to the sky and rode ahead. Legolas looked up and smiled as he noticed that the sun was shining clearly and beautifully. He nudged his horse forward and started humming an old elvish lullaby, one that he hadn't heard for years. Not since his mother last hummed it to him as he fell asleep in her arms. The company moved on, and the sun shone down all the brighter.


End file.
